Hao O Wasurenai Kara Because Hao Is Unforgettable
by Kagaya Chou
Summary: Asakura Yoh grew out his hair after the Shaman Fights, which, for a variety of reasons, shocked his family and friends...
1. Anna

Title: Hao O Wasurenai Kara; Because Hao Is Unforgettable (1/?)

Author: Kagaya Chou

Archive: Ask me.

Rating: PG-13

Pairing(s): Hao x ?, Yoh x ...?!

Warnings: Not ... yet.

Disclaimer: Shaman King was created by Hiroyuki Takei and now licensed by Viz. Obviously not mine; this fic wouldn't be in if this was.

Comments: May 16, 2004 - My sister insisted on sitting next to me while watching Shaman King. I insisted on not moving away while she squealed about Horo Horo and Pirika, but I didn't like that pairing so, I drew her a Horen. Except, I didn't like that pairing either, and ended up with Hao in my head. A friend of mine has convinced me that he is the illegitimate love child of Soul Calibur's Kilik and Vagrant Story's Sydney Lostarot... if not FF7's Sephiroth. Don't run away screaming yet... Please?

- - -

Asakura Yoh grew out his hair after the Shaman Fights, which, for a variety of reasons, shocked his family and friends. His fiancé, Kyoyama Anna, was particularly opposed to the idea.

"Long hair makes you look like Hao," Anna told Yoh. Her voice was calm and condescending as per wont, but also evident was her distinct distaste for his older twin, which seemed lost upon Yoh.

He gave her a laidback smile as he tied his hair back in a short ponytail, replying, "It doesn't matter."

Expressionlessly, Anna said, "It does to me."

Asakura Hao used to be a big nuisance for Anna. In life, he was the epitome of 'psycho' although she could think of plenty more adjectives to describe a boy who would kill anyone in the way of his quest for the title of Shaman King aka. godhood and world domination. As he had proved with trying to kill Yoh, family mattered little to Hao; all were considered foe and dealt with accordingly, sent to the nether world with a grin on his face and their fiery doom.

'Crazy.' 'Insane.' 'Unhinged.' 'Deranged.' Was 'psycho' mentioned? Add 'pyro-maniac' italicized and underlined in bold.

Yoh pulled the elastic band around one more time before giving his hair a final tug. "I like it." The look he gave his cold blonde was apologetic, but Anna seemed unaffected.

"Makes you look like a girl," she bluntly replied.

Yoh's smile faltered but did not fade, "Amidamaru has long hair-"

The conversation was cut short when said spirit appeared beside Yoh, hair flowing freely down samurai armor.

"Yoh-dono. Anna-san," Amidamaru greeted, bowing respectfully before focusing on the shaman who called him. "You have need of me, Yoh-dono?"

"Ahaha," Yoh shook his head, smiling warmly at his friend. "I was just telling Anna I want to grow my hair out." He gave the spirit a summary of their conversation. "And then I said you have long hair, and you don't look like a girl..."

But Hao did, Anna thought. A frown graced her lips, but it was minute a change so it went unnoticed by the other two as they fell into light banter.

Bad enough that Hao revealed to Yoh they were brothers. Anna was in dept to the Asakura household in the first place, and thusly engaged to Yoh. Try as she might in the past, she could not make Hao understand that she belonged to his saner, infinitely sweeter twin as much as Yoh belonged to her. Hao would not accept that his interest was unwelcome. In fact, it was all the same to him. He never saw Yoh as anything more than an extension of himself. Therefore, Yoh did not exist, and by default, Anna belonged to Hao.

'Blind Fool,' she stewed silently.

Luckily for all, Yoh dashed Hao's delusions apart, along with the madman's body and spirit. Yoh was a strong boy and that made Anna proud.

So he murdered a murderer, Anna admitted to herself. That and growing his hair long, she rationalized, did not automatically mean Yoh would become like Hao.

The thought was still disturbing, but only just. After all, Yoh grew up with her, not with Hao. Anna knew Yoh best.

Yoh wanted to become Shaman King, just as Hao did, but such was a normal goal for most shamans. Yoh just wanted to win the Shaman Fights and become King so he would not have to do anything for the rest of his life. For the most part, he didn't even have to try very hard. Hailing from the strongest line of shamans in Japan, Yoh was already well off. His friends were diverse but generally supportive. He was as loved as he was loving. Still in high school, he didn't even have to worry about dating. Because Anna wouldn't allow it: worrying or dating.

Anna saw it as her duty to ensure that the only one who dared to give her Yoh a hard time was she herself. As an orphan, she would have been nothing without the Asakura family. Yoh was too fortunate. He always got what he wanted and he knew it, which made him lazy. Naturally, it was up to her to make him sweat.

She knew he wouldn't have defeated his megalomaniac brother otherwise. Anna just didn't understand why Yoh wanted to look like Hao now.

"Why not?" Yoh whined at Amidamaru.

"It's just not like you, Yoh-dono... It is a matter of tradition for myself, but... I can assure you long hair can be quite inconvenient to manage."

That, Anna thought, ought to make Yoh run off to the salon, because he was just that predictable...

"Oh, it'll all work out fine," the boy smiled.

Yoh's outlook on everything was that predictable. Anna gave him a week.


	2. The Sun Sets

Title: Hao O Wasurenai Kara; Because Hao Is Unforgettable (2/?)  
  
Author: Kagaya Chou  
  
Archive: Ask me.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing(s): Hao x ?, Yoh x ...?!  
  
Warnings: Not ... yet.  
  
Disclaimer: Shaman King was created by Hiroyuki Takei and now licensed by Viz. Obviously not mine; this fic wouldn't be in fanfiction.net if this was.  
  
Comments: May 16, 2004 - Anna couldn't seem to get through to Yoh... Can Manta help him think things through?  
  
- - -  
  
Anna gave Yoh a week. Oyamada Manta gave his best friend a month.  
  
Yoh and Manta sat beneath the tree by Amidamaru's headstone, where they first met. Many spirits were in the graveyard, but all remained quiet since the lanky shaman and the runty human regularly visited to watch the sun set. No one ever came to bother the two and they never talked much either -- most of the time.  
  
"Ne, Yoh-kun..." Manta hesitantly asked, after much thinly-veiled stares of concern, "How long... do you want your hair to grow?"  
  
Yoh only kept his hair tied up when Anna was around, or when he was at school. Now, the sable brown curled around his neck and a little below slim shoulders, swaying past his cheeks with each gentle caress of the wind.  
  
"Oh, I don't know..." He blew some straying strands off his face and grinned when they fell back into place. "It'll grow as long as it should."  
  
Manta sighed. Everything had a life of its own, according to Yoh. It wouldn't surprise Manta if his friend thought hair had a separate will of its own too.  
  
"Hair doesn't just stop growing..." The human wondered if it was possible, or perhaps just a shaman thing, another one of Yoh's idiosyncrasies, or even a passing daydream.  
  
"Hm... Then I'll cut it if it gets too hard to manage," Yoh mused.  
  
Manta nodded, then blinked. 'When would that be?' He paused. "Saa, Yoh-kun, that doesn't even answer the question."  
  
Yoh chuckled.  
  
As the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, the purples, pinks and oranges of the sky faded into a muted blue. The crescent moon smiled down at its silent spectators, its waning sliver a pale white hue.  
  
While Yoh wasn't looking, Manta took the time to study his friend and think. After the Shaman Fights, Yoh seemed to have picked up a few new habits, like growing his hair longer and spending more time alone. He was also somewhat quieter, but these changes were not too disturbing. They were just things a best friend was prone to notice.  
  
Hao thought it strange that humans and shamans could understand each other. Friends baffled him. Companions, especially human companions, were temporary burdens that only deserved death if they did not prove useful. Manta met Hao very briefly during the end of the Shaman Fights. Physically smaller and spiritually weaker than all the shamans around him, the human seemed nothing more to Hao than one of Yoh's more insignificant weaknesses.  
  
Yoh simply treated Manta as an equal, thinking nothing of what anyone else said. For that, Manta was thankful, although he wished he knew what went on in the shaman's mind. There was no use or need for Manta to tag along when Yoh attended the Shaman Fights. Yoh went with family members, his fiancé, various fellow contestants, spirits and friends.  
  
As for Manta... one of Yoh's opponents took Manta hostage during the preliminaries, and Yoh lost that match because he over-extended himself trying to save his friend. That was the only time Yoh ever pushed Manta's friendship away, and even then, it was because the shaman didn't want to further endanger the one human friend he had.  
  
'Yoh-kun,' Manta thought, 'has a beautiful soul. It doesn't really matter what he looks like on the outside.'  
  
Still watching the peaceful scenery, the shaman sighed in awe. "Beautiful, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah," Manta replied without thought. It was always the same question. Yoh would never get tired of being with him on this hilltop no matter how many times they watch the setting sun together, even if... when Yoh became Shaman King.  
  
At least he wasn't like his older brother. Hao used to be so obsessed with stars that, during the Shaman Fights, he called his team "The Star" and strut around with stars printed on his pants, stitched on his gloves, and embossed on his belt buckle. He even wore huge dangly earrings, which sported a golden star on each crimson hoop. Manta thought Hao was a pansy, but no, Hao said he was Shaman King: a god, a shining star. Right.  
  
Hao was nuts.  
  
Manta really had nothing against stars. Stars were not gay. A lot of the shamans he met considered stars important--even if Manta had a sneaking suspicion that one or two of his shaman friends preferred their own gender. Main point: 'stars are guiding lights without which people become lost to eternal darkness.' Manta didn't remember if he heard this from Tao Ren or Usui Horokeu. Possibly both. Best not think too hard about that.  
  
Watching sunsets every single time they occur has absolutely nothing to do with a star fixation! Except that... the sun is the closest star to earth.  
  
Manta frantically tried to calm himself down, and make sense of his scrambled up thoughts.  
  
'Why would the sun be important to Yoh-kun? Well, the sun gives off such things that create and sustain life. At sunset, its warmth goes away, leaving icy darkness behind. But Yoh-kun isn't the lost, despairing type, because... he figures the sun always shine somewhere, setting to rise again. When its light isn't with him, it just means that it's on the other side of the world guiding other people through their lives...'  
  
"Manta?" The warm, familiar sound of Yoh's voice actually startled him and Manta looked up.  
  
Grinning timidly, he replied, "What is it, Yoh-kun?" He felt nervous when he found those languid, droopy eyes on him, remembering a rare time when he saw them blanch in anger, like quicksilver.  
  
At present, Yoh's expression was completely relaxed and an easy smile graced his lips. Yoh knew Manta was tense about something, but chose not to address it. He trusted Manta, and did not like to pry. Yoh knew his best friend could speak his mind if he wanted to, and if Manta wouldn't talk, pushing would only cause them more stress.  
  
And part of Yoh didn't want to know why Manta was so uptight lately. Part of him knew why. "Isn't it about time you head for cram school?"  
  
"Ah?" At the mention of cram school, Manta checked his watch, then quickly stood. "Yeah, Thanks, Yoh-kun! We really should get going, shouldn't we?"  
  
"Nah," the shaman shook his head. "I'll stay here for a while. Go on."  
  
Yoh's words made his best friend gape. Usually, Manta went off to cram school alone, but Yoh would use that time to visit the local supermarket before going home to make dinner.  
  
Anna had him very well house-trained. Besides, Yoh had a strong sense of duty, especially towards his fiancé, and would do almost anything to keep her happy and give her an easy life. This included but was not limited to training hard, becoming Shaman King and... being home on time to cook for her.  
  
When Manta asked him why he was changing his schedule, Yoh said, "I want to watch the stars come out." He gave Manta the trademark Asakura smile, which said the Great Spirits' where it should be, and all's right with the world.  
  
"Okay, then... I'll see you later."  
  
Yoh nodded. "Sure."  
  
It had been a while since he'd asked Manta over for dinner. Neither seemed surprised. 


	3. Of Friendship and Laughter

Title: Hao O Wasurenai Kara; Because Hao Is Unforgettable (3/?)  
  
Author: Kagaya Chou  
  
Archive: Ask me.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing(s): Yoh(Hao) x Anna, Faust x Eliza (maybe more, maybe not)   
So far, yes, it is becoming Yoh(Hao) x Anna. Love hate thing. I actually tried NOT to write them, but Anna... well, was being Anna. (shrugs) I was listening to the radio... No Doubt's "Underneath It All" made me laugh and think of her feelings for Yoh.   
Faust x Eliza show up because they help and they're pretty and Faust would play with my insides and Eliza would stick a giant needle into me if I tried to separate them.  
  
Warnings: Not ... yet.  
  
Disclaimer: Shaman King was created by Hiroyuki Takei and now licensed by Viz. Obviously not mine; this fic wouldn't be in fanfiction.net if this was.  
  
Comments: May 18, 2004 - I wanted to write Ryu into a story but he hasn't shown up so far because he doesn't help the plot. He's a cool character and if I find a use for him later on, then he'll show up too. Same goes for a bunch of other ones I'd love to use, but they don't fit in so far... I'm not trying to pair anyone up right now. I'm still getting a feel for what I'm writing.   
So... Yoh x Amidamaru? ... well, I'm not opposed to the idea. Is it because Amidamaru's dead? Look at Eliza. Would you stop reading if I had a gay pairing later? A shaman x spirit or spirit x spirit one? What about incest? What about if I found a way to stop Yoh x Anna? Hey, what about Faust x Yoh?? What about.. (L) Enough, I'll stop teasing.   
I find Amidamaru x Mosuke more likely than with Amidamaru x Yoh or Yoh x Amidamaru, but I don't see it happening some time soon because Mosuke's not necessary for the story (yet?). Heck, I find Ren x Bason more likely even, but that's because of Jun and Li Pailong. My baby sis even suggested Ren x Jun, Ren x Pailong, Ren x Horo Horo, Horo Horo x Anna, Horo Horo x Pirika, Choco Love x Pirika or Tamao... These could ALL work out with some thought, but I'm aiming for a plot, not a bunch of pairings. If things come or go, it'll all work out in the end, ne? Either way, thanks for reading through these comments even. I hope you like and continue to enjoy this story.  
  
- - -  
  
If Anna wondered why Manta came around less, she didn't say. Truthfully, she felt glad for the peace and quiet. Yoh's rowdy friends always made a mess when they came over and even though she made them clean up their own clutter, they annoyed her one way or another and then she'd hear Yoh laugh. Not at her. He'd just be talking with his friends, and then he'd eventually be laughing for some reason.  
  
It upset her. Yoh always felt completely relaxed with his friends, who found it so easy to make him laugh and smile and... He had a smile for everybody, but Anna liked to hear Yoh's laughter and she didn't like the fact that she could never bring herself to laugh with him like his friends could. She also liked the silence between them though, which made her all the more irritable.  
  
Lately, Yoh was very good to her. He didn't complain about her training as much, and his cooking was slowly improving. He was still the good-natured little pushover that she met a long time ago, and sometimes he did the most precious things to make her happy--not that she could admit it to him. That would be too embarrassing.  
  
But as far as Yoh was concerned, there was nothing awkward about trying to make his fiancé her favorite lunch for school, offering a her massage when she was tired, or spontaneously trying to hold her hand when she looked downcast.  
  
The first two seemed acceptable to Anna. She wasn't big on public displays of affection, but Yoh never let it bother him before. Even when he reached out for her hand, he did it at home for her sake, although it still got him a slap on the cheek. At least he succeeded in reminding her he cared.  
  
She didn't understand why though. Why now, when he's starting to come home a little later, giving no good explanations, and when she couldn't see him without being reminded of that awful Hao?  
  
At present, she had Yoh running laps around their very big house. It was for the sake of training, she said, and punishment for coming home late again. She'd rather do the dishes than watch him for too long, that's all. The image of Hao running around in shorts that she sewed for Yoh was a little too disconcerting.  
  
Their place used to be a hot spring inn, which they planned to reopen when they were old enough to run a business, because Anna liked the idea of being boss lady. Yoh becoming Shaman King would not change a thing and both of them seemed to like it that way.  
  
She just wished he'd cut his hair.  
  
Anna knew she could order him to do it. It was a small thing really and he probably would cut it without a comment, but that was just it. Anna never liked stopping Yoh from what he'd set his heart to. She wanted to help him become Shaman King because that was what they both wanted. But this was different. This was all Yoh's decision, so as long as he doesn't let his hair get in the way of training, Anna was determined not to let the memory of Hao keep her from Yoh's side.  
  
Well, she was working on it.  
  
Meanwhile on the other side of the compound, Yoh was jogging along at steady pace and Amidamaru was floating next him, a worried look on the spirit's face.  
  
"Yoh-dono, is it really worth it? Anna-san's seems to be having trouble adjusting."  
  
Yoh nodded, his ponytail bobbing slightly, giving him something to focus on other than his aching feet. "It'll be all right."  
  
Amidamaru chose to stay silent, reassured by his shaman's words, but not knowing what to make of Yoh's attitude. The change wasn't too big. Yoh used to be scared of his fiancé. Now, he seemed more confident around her--yet more preoccupied.  
  
After a while, Yoh took a deep breath. "Everything disappeared after the Shaman Fights..." He glanced at the spirit as he spoke, but kept an eye on his path before continuing, "Everyone thinks I killed him, but Hao isn't... Hao isn't dead."  
  
"But we chopped him in half, Yoh-dono. Hao couldn't have survived that."  
  
"Yeah..." With a soft sigh, the boy slowed down to a halt, resting his hands on his knees, head down. "His body... is gone now, but I still feel him. Here..." He straightened and looked at his friend with a serene smile on his moonlit face, raising his left palm to his chest over his heart. "Hao's inside."  
  
Amidamaru grew alarmed. "Yoh-dono!" Anna would flip if she heard, he was sure.  
  
"Mada mada..." the boy put his hands up, ready to placate. "It's all right, Amidamaru. Hao and I shared one soul before we were born," Yoh tried to explain. "Just as he has the power to take me into himself, I can keep Hao safe."  
  
The samurai wasn't sure he understood or that he heard correctly. "Keep Hao. Safe?"  
  
"From the others." Yoh simply replied, "From himself."  
  
Hao made a lot of enemies when he tried to save the world through genocide. There were nicer ways to put it, but Yoh couldn't fool himself if he tried. Hao wanted to make the world a better place to live, a pure world without humans and weak shamans, because he thought they weren't helping the world but destroying it. Yoh agreed some people hurt nature, but he also acknowledged that some people tried to preserve, restore and improve it too. People in general. Not just some shamans. Only Hao couldn't see that.  
  
"But... why are you protecting him now?" Amidamaru asked.  
  
"Hm..." Yoh blinked, then looked at the night sky. "We're family." It seemed the most obvious answer, yet it also seemed as though he hadn't really thought about why before. When he dealt Hao the final blow, something pushed at him and Yoh went with his instincts, pulled.  
  
Yoh smiled when he found that he wasn't the only one stargazing in the evening. Their upstairs tenants, Faust VII and Eliza, were sitting on the rooftop side by side and hand in hand. The tall, blonde and handsome necromancer was pointing out some constellation to his gorgeous reanimated wife, who simply nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. They both had small smiles on their content faces. The Fausts were the most loving couple Yoh ever met, always so into each other, like they were in a world of their own.  
  
"Soul mates." Yoh murmured.  
  
"What is it, Yoh-dono?"  
  
The boy smiled at his friend. "They're like soul mates: incomplete on their own, but they're so happy when they find each other..."  
  
Amidamaru began wondering if that had any connection whatsoever to do with Hao when Yoh muttered, "I feel like I'm forgetting something."  
  
The spirit thought about it. "I... believe you have 4 more laps around the house."  
  
"Ack! Anna's gonna kill me!" Yoh started jogging again, looking like domesticated Hao about to cry. Of course, when Anna happened to glance in his direction him, she gave him another 5 laps for taking too long. Somewhere in between, Yoh grew impatient, pushed himself too hard and fell over with a cry.  
  
"YOH-DONO!" The spirit's voice alerted everyone in and about the house.  
  
"Amidamaru..." Yoh grew flustered at his friend's concern. "There's... no need to be so loud."  
  
"I-I'm sorry." It spirit was somewhat self-conscious now. "I over-reacted again..."  
  
Yoh chuckled, "It's okay." He tried to stand, but winced as a pain shot up his leg. "Whoa-"  
  
"Yoh-dono!" Amidamaru caught the boy as he was about to fall again, swearing that the shaman was turning him into a big softy, never mind the fact that the samurai watched over a gang of orphaned kiddies when he was alive over half a century ago, too.  
  
Yoh only tripped, but Faust and Eliza heard the noise. The husband picked his wife up in his arms and jumped down, helping her stand before kneeling in front of Yoh and Amidamaru.  
  
Due to the many accidents Yoh sustained from Anna's training, "Is everything all right, Yoh-kun?" became Faust's typical greeting for the younger shaman ever since they started living together, replacing phrases such as 'good morning', 'good afternoon' and 'good night.'  
  
As usual, Yoh responded, "Everything's all right, Faust," but added, "I think I twisted my ankle." In response, Faust wanted a better look. Before Yoh knew, Amidamaru sat down and pulled the boy in his lap, holding him still while the other two doctored him.  
  
"Thanks, guys." Yoh leaned back, settling comfortably against Amidamaru's chest, feeling warm and safe. The sensation was oddly foreign yet familiar, like being cradled by a loving older brother, and looked after by surrogate parents.  
  
Yoh had an easy grin on his face, but there was conflict in his eyes. Faust, Eliza, and Amidamaru were so nice, he thought, especially for caring enough to show it. And why do they care? What do they want? A part of him wanted to know what he ever did to deserve their kindness and consideration. His brow creased. They were friends. Care came with the package. They weren't being nice for extra benefits...  
  
"Yoh-kun?" Faust stared at him attentively, pressing cool palms on the boy's forehead and his own. Yoh's temperature seemed fine, but he was spacing out in mid conversation. "Are you sure everything's all right?" It wouldn't do for the boy to get a concussion later and it was hard to tell just by trying to look at those dark eyes. At least Yoh didn't seem too different. Yoh was physically fit--just a bit on the thin side--and spiritually very strong. Eliza didn't seem to notice anything wrong either.  
  
"Yeah. Sorry," Yoh chuckled, "I was thinking... how lucky I am to have you for friends."  
  
"Yoh-dono..." Amidamaru didn't know what to say. Yoh's words and actions were always so touching, but after so long, it still managed to take the spirit by surprise.  
  
After exchanging silent glances with his wife, the necromancer smoothed his hand down Yoh's hair affectionately, the corner of his eyes crinkling slightly as a heartfelt smile danced across his lips. "I think it's safe to say we all feel the same about you."  
  
The boy smiled brightly, then Faust finally realized what was so different about the boy, "You've grown your hair out..."  
  
Yoh didn't say anything at first. It had been a little over a month since he first decided to grow his hair longer. Faust hadn't noticed? Yoh looked from Faust to Eliza. The woman raised an eyebrow at her husband, but the smirk on her lips told Yoh she found Faust more endearing than anything.  
  
Slowly, hopefully, the boy nodded, "Yeah. To keep Hao alive." He figured they would understand, and he was right.  
  
"That's very nice, Yoh-kun," Faust's was sympathetic. "Does that mean you want to have hair as long as your brother's?"  
  
Yoh shrugged, answering truthfully, "I haven't decided yet." He briefly thought about it. Hair would be very difficult to deal with at butt length. It amazed him how Eliza's always looked so good; her hair already grew past her knees.  
  
Faust nodded, retracted his hand and stood, "Long hair can be so nice to manage..." His gaze turned to Eliza, who tenderly smiled back.  
  
"Yoh." At the sound of his fianc's voice, a pleasant chill shot down Yoh's spine.  
  
Anna was staring at them with more of a displeased look than the detached one she usually tried to go for, but only Yoh was able to tell the difference.  
  
"Anna," Yoh smiled sheepishly. Here he was, chatting with Faust and Eliza while sitting on Amidamaru's lap, when he hadn't even finished running the last 2 laps. Yoh hoped she wasn't counting. "Sorry, I sprained my ankle," he said.  
  
The others elaborated for him. Yoh was all right for the most part. He just worked himself too hard and they all knew it would do more damage than anything if he continued training without a break. A short rest and the boy would be back up to speed. No harm done.  
  
Anna stayed silent at first then turned around. "It's late. I'm going to bed." When she disappeared into the house, Yoh laughed. She really loved him underneath it all. 


	4. When Opportunities Arise

Title: Hao O Wasurenai Kara; Because Hao Is Unforgettable (4/?)  
  
Author: Kagaya Chou  
  
Archive: Ask me.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing(s): Yoh(Hao) x Anna, (maybe more, maybe not)  
  
Warnings: Spoilers.  
  
Disclaimer: Shaman King was created by Hiroyuki Takei and now licensed by Viz. Obviously not mine; this fic wouldn't be in fanfiction.net if this was.  
  
Comments: May 21, 2004 - When a ship reaches a pier it naturally straightens. Yoh seems to think so, even if Anna has her doubts.  
  
- - -  
  
Yoh knew Anna loved him, and he supposed he loved her back as well, but it hadn't always been the case. Initially, his family arranged their engagement for the sake of convenience. Until his recent and short-lived reunion with Hao, Yoh thought he was an only child in the Asakura family. Everyone treated him as though Hao did not exist, so marriage and the continuation of their bloodline were Yoh's obligations.  
  
It may have been his wish to live an easy life, but it was also his duty to marry and provide for his future wife.  
  
As an Asakura, Yoh had the potential to become a great shaman, but absolutely no ambition for power, or for anything else for that matter. The only thing that ever seemed to spur him into action was fear for his own safety or that of a loved one's. He was a very good boy; his family just figured he needed a lot of discipline--preferably from someone he was afraid of, instead of someone scared of spirits and shamans. That was a rare thing.  
  
Enter Anna, who was abandoned by her parents because she could interact with souls of the dead. Anna was a shaman, but not in the sense that Yoh was. She was a spirit medium like Yoh's grandmother. Whereas Yoh sometimes fused his spirit with Amidamaru in order to strengthen their collective soul, their Oversoul, Anna couldn't do the same. However, she could summon and exorcise spirits, which was not something a shaman with an Oversoul could do. The Asakura family took the girl in and offered her an apprenticeship, which turned out to be a fortunate thing.  
  
If anyone could push Yoh towards becoming Shaman King, or just getting off his lazy ass, they found out it was Anna.  
  
She was so antisocial Yoh figured she was too much trouble to befriend in the beginning. He simply thought of her as a bossy sister while Anna saw him as a spoilt little brat to be tamed. Growing up together, like siblings, it was hard to tell when more tender feelings developed. Anna was always there, watching and training Yoh. They simply found comfort in each other's company, in day-to-day familiarity. Yoh could not imagine life without Anna, and--if that was love--the feeling was mutual.  
  
Like every other morning since they started living alone together, they ate quietly at the round table in the living room. There was an hour before school started and if Anna wasn't satisfied with Yoh's cooking at breakfast, he could expect a suitable punishment later in the evening.  
  
Regardless, he didn't seem too concerned any more. He had taken to openly staring for the past week or so. Today, he watched her with an indolent smile on his face and Anna was sure he deliberately let his hair down. Yoh and Hao were identical twins; surely, he knew how much it annoyed her.  
  
"Go put your hair up," she stared back impassively.  
  
Yoh expression did not change as he asked, "For training?"  
  
"No," Anna responded "For school."  
  
"Oh, we still have time," he shrugged.  
  
Anna put down her bowl and chopsticks. Yoh never teased her, she thought. He wouldn't dare. She really didn't like this new attitude of his. It felt like it was her fault, being picky for no reason, but she couldn't think of anything she did to lose his... was respect the right word? Before she could think of anything to say, to put Yoh in his proper place, the boy stood up.  
  
"All right. I'll be right back." He excused himself from the table and left the room.  
  
After a moment's silence, Anna cleared the table and went into the kitchen feeling like she was being played. Yoh usually did the dishes, but she'd be damned if she was going to just sit and wait for his return like she was some desperate damsel.  
  
There was an odd grin on Yoh's face as he padded into his room. Running a hand through his hair, he wondered what was going on. He knew Anna didn't like being reminded of Hao, that she would have something to say about it, and yet... "I am Hao," he mouthed. "And Yoh." His hand lingered over the set of headphones he often wore behind his ears. Decisively, he took the headphones off and reached for his comb.  
  
Yoh knew some adjustments had to be made when Hao came back to him. He wanted to tell Anna sometimes, but at other times, he honestly didn't. Then again, there were a lot of things he wanted to tell Anna, do with Anna, which he hadn't previously thought of before.  
  
For example, it'd be nice if she cooked more often simply because her cooking was fantastic and he knew his was crap. He was actually grateful for the training though, because he knew she made him do it for his own good. Practice did make him do better, but it wasn't really her responsibility to train him. She didn't even have to sew his clothes. Her taste bordered on eccentric too, although he'd wear whatever she wanted him to, and she looked cute in skirts. It was nice that Anna showed a lot of leg. That last thought wasn't something Yoh usually thought about, but he wasn't a teenage boy for nothing.  
  
Later, when Anna heard Yoh call her name from the living room, she tensed. The way he said it grated on her nerves and dredged up foul memories of Hao. She always lost her temper when the older twin insisted saying her name oh so intimately, because she only wanted to hear Yoh to say it that way, like he was glad to see her and be with her. Coming from Hao, it was a cruel mockery.  
  
"There you are. Anna..." As identical twins, Hao and Yoh had similar voices, but she knew it could only be the younger brother. By the sound of his footsteps she surmised that he was now standing directly behind her. The boldness surprised her. He was putting her on edge.  
  
Turning off the tap and picking up a sponge, she simply asked, "What?" Anna continued washing the dishes without a backwards glance. If she turned around, she knew she would only show him doubt.  
  
It always felt as thought she was in unknown territory whenever Yoh tried to take the initiative. So far, he had never done more than hold her hand, a feeling she loved but also hated because it made her weak in the knees.  
  
Unfazed by her apparent indifference, Yoh slipped his arms around her, taking the dish and sponge from her hands. "Let me do that for you," he looked at what he was doing over her shoulder.  
  
Anna froze.  
  
"If my fiancé's hands got all rough and wrinkly," he offered, "they wouldn't be nice to hold." Anna steeled herself and spun around, soapy fist aimed at his cheek, but Yoh saw it coming. He could drop the dish and risk it breaking while he grabbed Anna's hand, drop the sponge and get Anna soaked, or he could save energy by doing nothing. In any case, Yoh knew he was going to get hurt. He figured Anna would get used to his attempts at affection eventually, but oh well, not today. Shoulders drooping, Yoh ducked his chin down.  
  
Their resulting kiss was purely accidental. There was nothing spectacular about it except that it was their first. It was close-lipped, lasted for about half a second, and no bells were sounding, except for the ringing echoes in Yoh's head when one side of his skull got in touch with Anna's fist and the other side met the floor tiles directly after.  
  
The dish clanked without breaking at the bottom of the sink. The sponge did not touch Anna, nor did the water. Yoh thanked the Great Spirits for small blessings. By the time the stars stopped spinning before his eyes, his fiancé was already out in the corridor.  
  
"Finish the dishes or you're not sleeping tonight," she said.  
  
He twitched in response.  
  
"Yoh?" The boy heard concern in Anna's voice, but the aching pain he felt cried for more attention. He groaned and slowly picked himself up. After a pause, Anna walked back into the kitchen, trying not to sound troubled. "Yoh?"  
  
She was half expecting a silly grin on his face and his regular cheerful reassurance when Yoh turned, glaring at her before wincing and quickly squeezing his eyes shut.  
  
Anna was in the habit of pushing people away from her. Now, she wanted something different, but the look in Yoh's eyes was paralyzing. He reached up behind him, adjusting his ponytail as he opened his eyes. When he saw her expression, he gave her a fragile smile.  
  
"I'm all right, Anna."  
  
She stared at him searchingly, and then spoke, "Breakfast was horrible, but there was slight improvement. I'll see to tonight." She tried not to look like she was hurrying when she moved back out the door. Yoh hoped Anna was talking about making dinner herself in the evening, instead of punishing him for making her worry for him more.  
  
Ten minutes later, they stood in front of the supermarket waiting for Manta to show up, so they could walk to school together. Anna was reading the posters on the display window until she noticed Hao watching her from the reflection on the glass. She quickly looked over her shoulder.  
  
It was just Yoh, who didn't mind he has been caught staring. He blinked at her, questioningly. There was nothing wrong with staring at his fiancé, was there? Anna had not outward response, but the relief in her eyes gave Yoh a curious thrill.  
  
Anna showing she was glad to see him was an encouraging sign for their relationship, Yoh thought. His eyes darted down to her mouth. Remembering the kiss they shared, he looked back to her eyes as he subconsciously licked his lips.  
  
When she realized what was on his mind, Anna blushed faintly, frowned and looked away. She had issues that she hoped would remain unaddressed.  
  
Yoh wondered if they could possibly have a second go without resulting in massive head tremors. Anna was worth the effort, or he wouldn't let her do him bodily harm on a regular basis, but if she didn't want to, he decided he wouldn't push... too hard. Fair warning seemed necessary.  
  
"I'm sorry our first kiss was an accident, Anna..." She didn't answer but Yoh saw her face in the glass. She was listening. "But next time," he slowly continued. "It won't be an accident. Next time, it'll be all right. I'll make it all right." 


End file.
